green cabinet recalls 15th-century studiolo in HANGHAR’s spanish apartment renovation

crafted entirely from raw MDF, the cabinet by HANGHAR acts less as a traditional room and more as an autonomous piece of furniture.

thomai tsimpou October 29, 2024 4 min

HANGHAR revamps 50-year-old apartment in spain

Spanish architectural corporation HANGHAR renovates Studiolo, a 1970s apartment in Madrid named after the retreat used by Renaissance scholars for contemplation and intellectual pursuits. Creating a contemporary interpretation of the private study, the project centers on a single, deep green cabinet room that recalls the 15th-century Italian studiolo. Crafted entirely from raw MDF, this compact structure acts less as a traditional room and more as an autonomous piece of furniture within the apartment. Large windows provide views of a neighboring 19th-century convent and the city skyline, leaving the surrounding space open and adaptable.

green cabinet recalls 15th-century studiolo in HANGHAR's spanish apartment renovation - 1 — all images by Luis Díaz Díaz, courtesy of HANGHAR

revisiting studiolo through the concept of the room

In designing Studiolo, Madrid-based HANGHAR revisits the original layout of the apartment, stripping it back to introduce this enclosed, intimate space that doubles as a storage solution. Integrated cabinets hold essential items like kitchen appliances, linens, and goods, keeping possessions accessible while limiting visual distractions. This feature of the apartment mirrors its historical inspiration, where rooms served as places of retreat and functional spaces for storage.

The project investigates the seemingly simple yet profound concept of the room itself. Although integral to architecture, the idea of a room is often overlooked in design and daily life.‘Studiolo is an investigation into the idea of the private room. The concept of a room, while seemingly ubiquitous in architecture, is often taken for granted in both our everyday lives and architectural endeavors,’ shares the architectural team. ‘As dwellers and architects, we inherently engage with rooms, crafting and inhabiting them without much contemplation. In essence, if architecture aims to shape space, then the room emerges as the most immediate manifestation of this endeavor.’

green cabinet recalls 15th-century studiolo in HANGHAR's spanish apartment renovation - 2 — HANGHAR renovates a 1970s apartment in Madrid

reflective industrial materials illuminate the interior

An industrial and unorthodox palette explores the impact of materials outside typical residential use. The floor is finished with Pirelli rubber, often seen in industrial contexts, while the ceiling incorporates demountable galvanized steel profiles commonly found in offices. Together, these textures add a reflective quality that amplifies natural light throughout the interior, enhancing the open, adaptable environment. In Studiolo, HANGHAR ultimately engages with the architectural concept of the room itself, considering how spaces can combine functionality and contemplation.

green cabinet recalls 15th-century studiolo in HANGHAR's spanish apartment renovation - 3 — creating a contemporary interpretation of the private study

green cabinet recalls 15th-century studiolo in HANGHAR's spanish apartment renovation - 4 — integrated cabinets hold essential items like kitchen appliances, linens, and goods

green cabinet recalls 15th-century studiolo in HANGHAR's spanish apartment renovation - 5 — the deep green cabinet mirrors the historical inspiration of the apartment

deep-green-cabinet-15th-century-studiolo-hanghar-spanish-apartment-renovation-10-29-2024-designboom-1800-02 — although integral to architecture, the idea of a room is often overlooked in design and daily life

green cabinet recalls 15th-century studiolo in HANGHAR's spanish apartment renovation - 6 — crafted entirely from MDF, this structure acts less as a traditional room and more as a piece of furniture

green cabinet recalls 15th-century studiolo in HANGHAR's spanish apartment renovation - 7 — large windows provide views of a neighboring 19th-century convent and the city skyline

deep-green-cabinet-15th-century-studiolo-hanghar-spanish-apartment-renovation-10-29-2024-designboom-1800-01 — Studiolo is inspired by the retreat used by Renaissance scholars

HANGHAR revisits the original apartment layout, stripping it back to introduce this space studioli served as places of retreat and functional spaces for storage in Studiolo, HANGHAR ultimately engages with the architectural concept of the room itself, considering how spaces can combine functionality and contemplation natural light enhances the open, adaptable environment often seen in industrial contexts, the floor is finished with Pirelli rubber the cabinet keeps possessions accessible while limiting visual distractions the material palette adds a reflective quality after the renovation, the space in the apartment has become open and adaptable white tiles clad the bathroom walls industrial materials amplify natural light throughout the interior metallic drapes regulate the natural lighting in the bedroom the ceiling incorporates demountable galvanized steel profiles commonly found in offices

project info:

name: Studiolo
architect: HANGHAR | @hanghar.llc
location: Madrid, Spain

contractor: MRS Constructores | @mrsconstructores
photographer: Luis Díaz Díaz | @luisdiazdiaz